


Love & Pride

by LapizSilkwood



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Post-Canon, the Pride fic no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 06:07:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10735704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LapizSilkwood/pseuds/LapizSilkwood
Summary: Set in 1973. A year after the first Pride is organized in London, Delia is approached by someone from the Gay Liberation Front to attend the Pride march with Patsy. Or the fic no one asked for where Patsy and Delia go to Pride. 12 years after series 6 so Delia is 36 years old and Patsy is 40. Multi-chapters.





	Love & Pride

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea in my head for a while so I thought I'd give it a go.  
> Title of the fic is based on the song [Love & Pride](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWdGteo9Y0w) by King.  
> Beta by the lovely @stringingwords on A03 (she writes amazing Clexa stories)

It was 1973. Times were changing. In 1967 the Sexual Offences Act was passed, allowing same sex couples to have sex as long as it was done privately between consenting adults over 21. It wasn't much, but it was a start. It provided a limited decriminalisation of homosexual acts. They still had a long way to go but same sex couples were no longer ghosts. They were never talked about and still very much a taboo but they were allowed to exist in their own sphere. Lesbian relationships had never been penalised by the law because men thought it would give women ideas, but their existence was as much condemned as male same sex couples. So they created their own safe space. In London, The Gateways Club was one of them. In 1967, the club was even made ladies-only by the owner. Patsy and Delia had come here for more than 10 years, a few times a year, for special occasions or simply for a date. It was one of the few places where they felt safe, apart from their home. Thanks to her father's inheritance, Patsy had managed to buy a flat in London for her and Delia to move into when Nonnatus House closed in 1968.

\--

On this cold evening of March 1973, Patsy Mount welcomed the warmth in her flat as she stepped home after a long shift. She hung her coat on the coat rack and moaned with pleasure when she removed her shoes. At 40, she wasn’t getting any younger and being on her feet all day was starting to get more and more tiring. She called for her other half.

“Delia? I’m home.”

She heard a muffled sound coming from their bedroom so she made her way over there. She opened the door and watched the scene that greeted her with a tender smile. Delia was busy trying on a dress and she was apparently stuck. Patsy watched her struggle with her dress for a bit, biting her lips not to laugh before letting Delia know she was here. 

"Here, let me help you," she said, grabbing the hem of the dress. "Stop moving Deels or I'll never be able to get it off," Patsy admonished.

As soon as Delia stopped moving, Patsy located where the dress was stuck and removed it easily. Delia smiled and went over to the taller woman to give her a peck on the lips. 

"Thank you, sweetheart. And happy anniversary." Her smile widened as she acknowledged their 10 years wedding anniversary. They knew the world wouldn’t let them get married anytime soon so they had had their own private wedding. 

"How many is it now? 10 years? Seems longer," the redheaded woman joked before wrapping her arms around her wife's waist and bringing her close. 

"Penblwydd hapus cariad,” Patsy added with an almost perfect pronunciation. She had picked up a few welsh expressions over the years by asking Delia specific words or phrases. She tried using them on special occasions because it never failed to bring a smile on her wife’s face.

And as always, it worked. Delia smiled widely and brought their lips together in a passionate kiss. Hearing the redhead speak her mother tongue was a big turn on for the brunette. They became lost in each other for a while before Delia realized she was still only in her undergarments. She stopped the kiss with an apologetic look. 

"Sorry love, but this will have to wait. I do intend to celebrate it properly which means we're going to the Gates. I want to have a drink, dance with you and then, when you take me home you can do whatever you want. The night is still young," she said, winking at Patsy. "Help me put my dress on properly." 

The taller woman nodded and helped Delia change into her date gown. After that she went into the bathroom to put her own dress and prepare for their date. As she was getting ready, she thought back about all the dates they'd had at the Gateways Club. It started as a grand gesture for Delia because she knew how important it was to her. And also because, as Patsy realized quite quickly, she could never refuse the smaller woman anything. After a few times going to the club, the nervousness and the fear of being found out faded. She began to enjoy it just as much as Delia, and they had made it a tradition to go there for every anniversary and other special occasions. As years passed, they became great friends with the owner and some of the bartenders. In 1967, the club was made female-only for the two women's delight. Patsy loved being with Delia freely in "public". Holding her hand, dancing together, kissing. Her wife's smile was even more beautiful when out and proud. Patsy just wished society would catch up soon and allow them to be that way in public too. 

"Pats? Are you coming?" Delia's voice broke Patsy out of her thoughts. The Welsh woman was leaning against the door of the bathroom, regarding her. They were both ready but Patsy had seemed lost in thoughts so she had waited before interrupting her. 

"Sorry Deels, yes, I'm coming," the redhead smiled. “Lead the way.”  
Delia headed for the front door of their flat. She grabbed her coat from the coat rack and handed Patsy hers before heading out and locking the door behind them. 

\--

They arrived at the club 10 minutes later and were welcomed by the usual bouncer who greeted them cheerfully. They sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender. Her name was Nina and she was really lovely. She was closer in age to Patsy and Delia than her regular clientele but she got along with everyone. She was the owner's partner and a good friend to them both. 

After two drinks and a few dances with Delia, Patsy's hard day was catching up to her so she excused herself to go to the ladies room and catch her breath. Delia sat down at the bar, waiting for her. A young woman she had never seen before sat down next to her.

"Hi! Sorry to bother you but I saw you dance with your partner earlier and it makes me happy to see older gays being out and proud. Were you at the Pride march last year?"

Delia was taken aback by the boldness shown by the young lady. And truthfully a bit hurt by the term "older". She was not even 40. But the young lady seemed nice so she swallowed her pride.

"Uhm no, we weren't. We were on holiday in France when it happened. But I don't know if we would have gone anyway," she answered truthfully.

"Why not?" the girl asked sincerely. 

"Well my partner and I are both working and we would lose our job if people knew. Going to a Pride march isn't exactly discreet. And Patsy, she's my partner, would never agree to go anyway."

"Well, you don't have to put yourself in front. You can blend into the crowd,” the young woman continued, “that's the beauty of it, if lots of people like us go we can be proud and invisible. There is strength in number. They were 700 last year and hopefully we'll be even more this year." 

"True, but it's still risky." Delia said, still unconvinced.

"Of course. But as queers our whole life is one big risk, isn’t it? Especially if we want to live and love as we are. I’m sure you know that even better than I do. Why not enjoy some of it too? I think you deserve it... Anyway I hope you'll consider coming. It's on June 30th.” She concluded.

Delia liked the girl’s enthusiasm. "Well we are enjoying our life. And we are very happy. Why should we risk it by coming to a Pride march?”

“I hope I can say the same when I’m your age. It’s inspiring. And that’s the thing. If we want society to accept us as we are one day, we need to show them that we exist. And that we are proud of who we are and are productive members of society. If we stay on the shadows forever and never fight for our rights it will never happen. This Pride march is bigger than just us.” The young woman declared.

As she listened to the other woman talk, Delia realized Judy must have been from the Gay Liberation Front. She had heard of them at the club. They were an organisation fighting for queer freedom. Delia pondered what the girl said.

“I admit you make valid points so I’ll think about it.” Delia conceded.

"I’m glad you’ll consider it. Well I should go, my girlfriend is waiting for me. Even if you decide not to come, please tell your friends. We need as many people as we can get. Oh and by the way my name is Judy." She said smiling as she offered her hand to shake.

“Nice to meet you, Judy. I'm Delia." The Welsh woman said accepting the gesture.

Judy waved as she left and Patsy came back from the ladies' room at this exact moment. She sat down next to Delia, in the chair Judy had just exited. 

"Who was that?" Patsy inquired. She wasn't jealous, she trusted the brunette more than anything, but she was curious. 

"That was Judy,” Delia answered. “She just came to tell me it made her happy to see older lesbians like us dance. Older? Can you believe it? I mean you're old, being 40 and everything, but I'm barely 36!" Delia said, feigning being outraged. 

"That is outrageous, indeed." Patsy laughed. "But well you've always had a thing for old women, you were quite fond of Sister Julienne if I remember correctly" Patsy teased with her famous smile.

"Oh gross!!" The Welsh woman said grinning. "Ok ok, you win, you're not old." 

Patsy laughed and kissed her. After the kiss she leant down to whisper in her lover’s ear.  
"I'll show you how young I still am if you take me home now." 

Delia blushed instantly. She loved this side of Patsy. It had taken a long time for the taller woman to be confident enough to do this, especially in public, but Delia cherished it.  
She got up quickly, paid the bill and then she took her lover's hand, more than ready to continue the celebration at home. 

As they walked home, Delia thought about what Judy had said. A part of her really wanted to go, but she would never go without Patsy. She was proud of who she was of course, but she was also proud to share her life with this amazing woman. Patsy was her life and if she could she’d tell anyone who would listen. But she wasn’t sure if Patsy would be willing to risk everything just for a march. They needed to talk, but it could wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Penblwydd hapus cariad = Happy anniversary cariad
> 
> Thank you for reading :) I have a few chapters planned but I’ll only continue if you like it and think it’s worth it. So don't hesitate to comment. 
> 
> If you want to talk about our fav couple, don't hesitate to message me on tumblr @lapizsilkwood.


End file.
